Surgical splint



y 1930- J. J. ETTINGER I 1,769,681

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Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOE J'. ETTING-ER, OF WARSAW, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T ZIMMER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WARSAW, INDIANA, 'A CORPORATION OF IN DIANA SURGICAL SPLINT Application filed July 2,1928. Serial No. 289,663.

The invention relates to surgical splints and particularly to splints for fractured legs requiring extension on the fractured bone.

In supporting a fracturedleg it is desirable that the patient shall be as comfortable as possible and that the parts of the fractured bone shall be held in correct apposition, to secure which apposition extension is frequently required. Generally the fractured leg is confined in a frame and the lower portion of the leg and the foot rests upon a support that is movable upon the frame Extension is accomplished by moving the support along the frame and in so doing the tendency is to pull the foot support away from the sole of the foot to assume an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis of the leg which angle is most objectionable and must be prevented. V

The object of my invention is to provide a splint wherein traction is not exerted on the leg and foot support to secure extension and independent means is provided by'which to secure such extension and assure a support 5 that will hold the foot at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the leg.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the splint; Fig. 2 a plan view of the splint; Fig. 3 a side view of the leg and foot; Fig. 4, a rear elevational View of the leg support; Fig. 5 an elevational view of the tape spreading and pulling member;

Fig. 6 a side view of the latter member and Fig. 7 a plan view of the adjusting screw or bolt.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the main frame of the splint is formed by the ring 1 adapted to be engaged about the thigh of the fractured leg and to which is secured one end of the side members 2 and 3 that are connected at their opposite ends by the end member 4. The leg support 5 is concave transversely and preferably tapers longitudinally. A bar 6 is secured to the under side of the support 5 and projects for wardly from the foot end thereof. The projecting portion of the bar is concaved at 7 to form a heel receiving space and beyond this 50 concaved portion the bar is bent upwardly and secured, as by the rivets 8, to the rear side of a plate 9 that preferably simulates the bottom of the human foot. A transverse bar 10 is secured to the support 5 near its head or rear end, the extremities of the bar being bent over to form hook-shaped members 11 adapt-- ed to engage on the side members 2 and 3 of the main frame.

Adjacent to the lower end of the plate and secured to the bar 6 is a hanger 12 having upright arms spaced laterally from the opposite edges of the plate 9 and having the lateral jaws 13 formed at the upper ends of the arms respectively, the jaws being adapted to be engaged on the side members 2 and 3 of the main framerespectively. The spacing of the up- I right members or arms 14 of the hanger 12 from the plate 9 form slots or spaces 16 for the reception of the tape or tapes 15 (Fig. 2)

that is or are attached to the leg below the hook-shaped end 20 pivotally engaging the rib 18, is loosely extended through the end member 4 in which the bolt is longitudinally adjustable, the nut 21 on the bolt serving to lock the bolt to the member 4 in any longitudinally adjusted position.

The tape 15 that is attached to the leg is led through the slots or spaces 16 and engaged on the upright side members 22 of the spreader 17, which members are disposed behind said slots or spaces 16 so that the tape extends in straight lines and exerts a correct pulling force on the leg. Since the spreader is pivotally connected to the adjusting bolt it will accommodate itself to the tape or tapes and assure a straight pulling effect on the leg. Adjustment of the extension means is therefore independent of the leg support 5. The foot plate 9, is not drawn away from the foot in accomplishing the extension so that there is no tendency of the foot to assume any other angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the leg than that in which it is initially fixed on the foot plate.

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